My first days in the academia and Villanueva have been wonderful! Introducing myself and getting to know all the students was a great experience but most of all fun. Through my introduction I was able to let everyone know how much I enjoyed watching futbol. I was also excited to hear that Cordoba would be playing in El Arcangel for the copa d’oro. Only having been in Spain for a week, I was able to immerse myself into the culture and attended the game. Cordoba’s opponent was Alcorcon. Cordoba had been off to a good start this season and was at a higher standing compared to Alcorcon. Winning this game was really important for the Cordobeses because it meant they would move up to quarter semi finals. In other words, if Cordoba were to win this match they would have the possibility to go against better known teams like Real Madrid. Imagine Real Madrid playing in Cordoba at the Arcangel stadium? Everyone would definitely go see that game!

The stadium was somewhat full but there was definitely a lot of energy. The crowd consisted of people from all age groups. Not only were the adults commenting on the game but also their children. Everyone was chanting songs and the team player’s name. Cordoba was able to score in the first half, which made the crowd go wild. We went into the second half still in the lead and ready to win. To our surprise, Alcorcon scored twice during the second half. At the end of the match Cordoba lost with a final score of 2-1.Even though we had lost I still had a fun time experiencing watching a live fubol game in Spain. Futbol is definitely a huge part of the culture here. Ultimately, I am glad that I was able to experience this part of the culture with some friends.